夏说英语新闻晨读 第561期:美国版药神

 Insulin is not like other drugs. It's a natural hormone¹ that controls our blood sugar levels - too high causes vision loss, confusion, nausea², and eventually, organ failure; too low leads to heart irregularities, mood swings, seizures⁴, loss of consciousness. For most of us, our bodies produce insulin naturally. But for Type 1 diabetics, insulin comes in clear glass vials, handed over the pharmacy⁵ counter each month - if they can afford it. One vial of the insulin now costs $275 without health insurance. In 1923, the discoverers of insulin sold its patent for $1, hoping the low price would keep the essential treatment available to everyone who needed it.

insulin: n. 胰岛素
confusion: n. 神志不清
confuse v. 使困惑；使混乱
nausea: n. 恶心
heart irregularities: 心律不齐
mood swings: 情绪波动
seizure³: n. 抽搐；突然发作
seize: v. 抓住
diabetic: n. 糖尿病患者
vial: n. 小玻璃瓶

1 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

2 nausea   

n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶)

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕期常有恶心的现象。
• He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。

3 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

4 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

5 pharmacy   

n.药房，药剂学，制药业，配药业，一批备用药品

参考例句：

• She works at the pharmacy.她在药房工作。
• Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness.现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。